Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Finally a real post

I have been kind of mum the last few days. Sunday evening my back started killing me, probably due to me standing forever while making a batch of peach jam. I tried to rest my back (as much as a mom with two young kids can any way) but yesterday I had to get on with preserving the peaches or they would start rotting. I decided to take the easy way out and freeze them for future use in peach crisp. I think we have enough fruit spread to last us for awhile any way especially since my mother in law is threatening me with apples when we come for Thanksgiving/Harry's second birthday (which are the same day).

I am finding a certain amount of satisfaction in my domestic endeavors. Some people claim that becoming a stay at home mother is mind numbing but I am finding joy in expanding my domestic abilities. I have been working on my cooking. When I first got married we had a pretty limited diet and despite my parent's attempts to teach me cooking I still was a pretty mediocre cook when I got married. Canning fruit is an off shoot of my newly found interest in cooking. It is very satisfying to look at the results of all that rather boring labor. Cleaning has a similar amount of drudgery to it but it never stays done, five seconds after you have finished picking up the living room some little child will be there right behind you undoing all that work. Fruit will stay done and you can enjoy it months later in the cold of winter.

Now I am not going to become some sort of crazy homemaker that can turn a dust bunny into a fun craft, but I do want to learn to improve my skills at the job I am currently working at. The hard part is that there is no real motivation other than personal satisfaction. I wish that I coudl get a raise or a promotion from all my hard work. A gal can dream can't she?

17 comments:

Karen said...

Let me know if you find a way to get paid. I laugh at those articles that break down what a SAHM does and values them at over $100,000 a year. Uh...yeah, who is actually going to PAY that?

chichimama said...

Canning is one of those things I always wish I did but am unwilling to invest the time into :-). Enjoy the jam!

Anonymous said...

so you want to become a domestic goddess do you?

Elizabeth-W said...

I love love love! frozen peaches! Just blanch, peel, section, add some fruit fresh, sugar, and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. What could be easier?? Now THAT is an example of a domestic art I CAN do. My mom just did a big batch from her tree, and so in my freezer are about 10 bags, and I was thinking the same thing you were--that's about 7 pies there!!

Gina said...

Ooh, sorry about the back! I know how it feels!

I need to improve on my domestic arts skills.

Jenifer said...

Just remember, most of us out there in the working world only have personal satisfaction as a motivator too. Lord knows we don't get paid or appreciated enough most of the time. At least I don't in my line of work. Anyhoo, I envy your new found domesticity. I wish I had the time and the energy to be more Martha Stewartish.

Anonymous said...

Personal satisfaction works for me!
Cheers

Anonymous said...

It is amazing what motherhood changes. I was so not into cooking, cleaning and domestic-ness. Now I am all about perfecting the household and bettering myself.

Kudos that you are expanding yourself!

Nanette said...

When you figure out the dust bunny crafts, please post a picture! ;)

Zephra said...

Welcome to my world. I am one of those Moms who looks at my job with dread at times but I think that is because I feel so under appreciated sometimes. I will never learn to like cooking though. I think that comes from my Mom making anything in the kitchen miserable.

Unknown said...

I think we all have our niches. I love cooking and don't mind cleaning but you cannot rope me down to sew or iron. Bloom where you are planted. And pay someone to do the rest. :-)

P.S. Glad you liked my salt water shot, though you didn't ask for an autograph? :)

Anne/kq said...

I try to remember that in the long run, I'll get far better "pay" for teaching and caring for my children than I ever would working somewhere else. I'm working for two of the best bosses of all-- my family, and Heavenly Father, who has entrusted me with these babies to bring home to Him.

But I will admit, sometimes I like to take paid work sewing or something, just once in a while, to have something that gets done and makes me feel accomplished...

Jennifer Swanepoel said...

I hereby promote you from the rank of Awesome Mom to Awesome, Spectacular, Goddess of a Mom!

Does that help??

Phae-Jae said...

Contentment in life is refreshing.

TheButterfly2 said...

I totally hear you! When we first got married I wasn't much of a cook either but now I am making home made jam and desserts and trying new recipes all the time. I like it for exactly the same reason...it stays done. Cleaning you do again tomorrow...or in ten minutes!

Wouldn't it be great to get paid for what we do? Have you read that article on how much SAHMS should be making? It's crazy. Recently Stephanie over at Metropolitan Mamma had a post about someone calling becoming a stay at home mom a promotion from working outside the home. I like hearing it referred to as that.

Your Mother said...

Turning a dust bunny into a craft! I loved that. :)

Damselfly said...

I'm just laughing at the idea of turning a dust bunny into a craft!